Certain types of devices are targets for sophisticated attacks. For example, chips storing cryptographic keys or other secure data or chips performing secure transactions (e.g., credit card transactions) are particularly attractive to attackers. One style of physical attacks, referred to as an enclosure attack, involves penetrating the device enclosure to physically access the device. In these physical attacks, the package is opened and any encapsulating material is removed or etched away. The attacker then accesses the internals of the chip or device using a probe. The attacker can then observe and/or manipulate the internal chip signals.
What is therefore needed is package level security combining logical protection, embedded physical security measures, and active tamper detection for critical data and signals.
The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers may indicate identical or functionally similar elements